Williams Grove-Carlisle Transmission Line Project

PPL ELECTRIC UTILITIES
|
FACT SHEET
Williams Grove-Carlisle
Transmission Line Project
WORK TO OCCUR
IN THIS AREA
Construction on this $19 million project is
expected to start in late 2016 and be completed
in mid-2018.
Single-shaft steel poles averaging about 100
feet tall will be used for the new line.
As always, PPL Electric Utilities will try to
minimize the effect on property owners and the
environment during all phases of this work.
For more information about this project, please
contact Jessica Long, PPL’s regional affairs
director, at 717-257-5988.
COMMITMENT TO
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
INTRODUCTION
PPL Electric plans to build a new 69-kilovolt transmission line between the planned
new Williams Grove Substation in Upper Allen Township and the existing Carlisle Barracks 69 kV Tap in Silver Spring Township. The entire project is located within Cumberland County. The new line will be approximately 7 to 8 miles long.
We are evaluating three possible routes for the project and are seeking public input
on these alternatives.
The planned upgrades to the electric delivery system in this region are designed to
make electric service more reliable for you and your neighbors by reducing the number
and duration of power outages.
This project does not require approval by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.
ABOUT PPL ELECTRIC UTILITIES
PPL Electric Utilities is a subsidiary of PPL Corporation that provides electric delivery
services to 1.4 million customers in central and eastern Pennsylvania. Our primary
goal is to keep our electric system reliable for customers, and this project is part of
that ongoing work.
Our commitment is to keep the public
informed as the project proceeds. As part of
this effort, we will host a public open house
for residents on:
Date:
Time:
Location:
Dec. 17, 2015
6-8 p.m.
Monroe Township
Municipal Building
1220 Boiling Springs Rd
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
Our project team will be on hand to provide
information and to answer any questions you
may have. There is no set agenda for this open
house, so feel free to visit between 6-8 p.m.
TOLL-FREE PROJECT
PHONE NUMBER
We have established a toll-free number —
(855) 310-3446 — to call with project
questions or concerns.
For more information about PPL Electric Utilities, visit www.pplelectric.com.
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Williams Grove-Carlisle
Transmission Line Project
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. Why is this new line needed?
A: Planning studies show large power outages and low voltage could
occur on the transmission system in the region if this project is not
built. The new line will make power more reliable for tens of
thousands of customers, and it will improve the integrity and
security of the power grid.
Q: You say the new line is needed for reliability. But we have not
had many outages. Can you explain that?
A: This line is designed to serve customers in this region for many
decades into the future. Our planning process is proactive and
looks ahead to determine where new lines are needed to provide
continued reliability. The new line will help prevent future outages,
and will reduce the duration of outages that do occur.
Q: Isn’t this line to benefit people out of our area?
Some people here are not even PPL customers.
A: This line will strengthen the overall power grid in the region.
The grid is interconnected, and everyone depends on it for their
electricity.
Q: Why can’t you use existing power line towers in the area to
improve service, eliminating the need to build a new line?
A: We have studied that possibility and ruled it out. One of the reasons
we need the new line is to keep the lights on for customers in the
event there is a problem with the existing line. Putting the new line
on the same towers as the existing line would make it less reliable,
because a problem on the existing line could cause an outage on
the new line too. In addition, there are reliability and grid security
benefits from having additional paths for power to flow on the grid.
Q: Why can’t you build this new line in the same right of way as
existing transmission lines in the project area?
A: We also studied this possibility and it was ruled out because we
would need to expand the right of way and there is not enough
room to do that because of existing houses and buildings.
Q: Why won’t you consider putting this power line underground?
A: We have ruled that out for this project for several reasons. First, it
is up to 10 times more expensive to bury a transmission line, and
these costs are paid by all of our customers in their bills. We have
an obligation to keep costs reasonable. Second, underground lines
can take longer to repair when there is a problem, potentially
leading to less-reliable service for customers. And, the trenching
required to install underground lines can have environmental
impacts that are greater than overhead lines.
Q: Some people who are interested in this project did not receive
your letter about the open house. That doesn’t seem fair.
A: We are sorry if some people did not see the letter. We mailed
letters to every property owner within 500 feet of all three
proposed routes. Anyone who has comments on this project can
email Jessica Long, PPL’s regional affairs director in the area, at
jmlong2@pplweb.com. All comments will be considered by PPL in
making a final decision on the route of this line.
Q: What about the proximity in this area to properties on the
National Register of Historic Places?
A: We received information from the Pennsylvania Historical and
Museum Commission (PHMC) as part of the siting process. The
proposed project will be reviewed closely with the PHMC to
minimize any potential effects. Proximity to historical resources is
one of many factors considered in siting a power line route.
WILLIAMS GROVE-CARLISLE TRANSMISSION LINE PROJECT | FAQs
Q: What about preserved farmland?
A: Data from the National Conservation Easement Database as well
as from Cumberland County’s website was reviewed concerning
preserved farmland. PPL attempted to avoid agricultural
easements where possible, but could not completely avoid these
areas. We will work with farmers to minimize any effects on
farming practices. PPL will abide by farmland preservation
restrictions as they apply to power lines. However, power lines are
typically permitted in most agricultural security or easement areas.
Generally, farming can continue within the power line right of way.
- What business or economic activities are happening in the area,
such as farming?
- Where are natural resources located – wetlands, streams and
bodies of water?
- What land is preserved or in a conservation area?
- Is there an impact to the natural environment – including crossing
national and state forests and parks, nature preserves, large lakes
and big wetland complexes, etc.?
- Are there threatened or endangered species living in the area, such
as bog turtles?
Q: Would the installation of renewable energy sources in this area
prevent the need for this line?
- What existing infrastructure is in the area – transmission lines,
roads, gas pipelines, etc.?
A: No. The grid still needs to have adequate capacity to move power
from renewable sources, or to serve customers who have renewable power generation during times when these sources (such as
rooftop solar panels on cloudy days) do not provide enough power.
- Can we physically construct the line in an area — are there large
slopes, wetlands or valleys? (Are homes or buildings there?)
Q: What about magnetic fields from new power lines?
A: The EMF health research has been examined by governmental
public health authorities and public health organizations in over
160 reports. The World Health Organization has examined the
reports on the research and says on its website: “Based on a recent
in-depth review of the scientific literature, the World Health
Organization concluded that current evidence does not confirm the
existence of any health consequences from exposure to low level
electromagnetic fields.” For more information, you can visit the
PPL website at: www.pplelectric.com/emf.
Q: What is your timetable for choosing a possible route?
A: Our team will be working through the public comments and
expects to have a preferred route decided within the first quarter
of 2016. We don’t have an exact date yet because we have not
completed the analysis, and we need time to consider all public
comment.
Q: How did you determine the alternative routes?
What factors did you consider?
A: As with any new PPL line, our siting team collected data from a
wide variety of sources. We then completed an analysis of existing
development, land features, and environmental concerns in the
area. We realize there is no perfect place to put a power line, so we
work to balance a wide variety of factors throughout the entire
siting process to minimize, to the extent practical, the overall
impacts to people and the environment.
Some of these factors are:
- Where are all the existing homes?
- Would the line interfere with schools, places of worship, or
cemeteries? What additional facilities are used for cultural,
historical or recreation purposes?
- How long will the line need to be?
Sometimes these factors compete against one another, which is
why we strive for a balance. For example, a route with minimal
impacts on animal habitats may have greater impacts on businesses or residents than other alternatives, and vice versa.
Field reviews are conducted from roads and other points of public
access to collect additional information, and refine the alternative
routes accordingly. The alternative routes are presented to the
public for input, questions and comments.
Q: What are the criteria for choosing the preferred route? Is it
merely based on cost savings for PPL or truly on public
comments and input for or against specific routes?
A: We do take public input into consideration as we analyze the
alternative routes. Since PPL Electric Utilities is a regulated utility,
our customers pay the costs for infrastructure improvements.
Therefore, we have an obligation to avoid excess costs wherever
possible and we work to balance this with other factors affecting
the land and the public.
A preferred route is ultimately identified through analysis and
comparison of the alternative routes and review
of public input. The preferred route minimizes, to
the extent practical, the overall effect of the project
on the natural and human environment, and avoids unreasonable
or circuitous routes and excessive costs.
The preferred route is not exact or final. Adjustments can be and
are made through negotiations with landowners, environmental
survey results and other factors.
WILLIAMS GROVE-CARLISLE TRANSMISSION LINE PROJECT | FAQs
Q: What happens after a preferred route is chosen? What if I live
along that route?
A: A second open house will then be held to explain why
the preferred route was chosen and to take input on the selected
route to help make adjustments.
All property owners within 500 feet of the proposed routes,
and anyone who attended the first open house, will get an
invitation to the second open house. Soon after, PPL right-of-way
representatives will start talking directly with affected property
owners to purchase the necessary easement to build and maintain
the line. Line maintenance will include tree trimming and clearance
when needed.
Property owners are compensated for the easements with a
one-time payment and retain ownership of the land. There are
some restrictions on landowner use of a power line easement. For
example, a homeowner cannot plant incompatible plants inside the
easement or under the power line. A full list of compatible species
is available at https://www.pplelectric.com/at-your-service/
investing-in-your-service/vegetation-management/compatible-species.aspx. Some existing uses, such as farming, can
continue.
Q: How does PPL acquire an easement?
What exactly does that mean?
A: Property owners are compensated for the easements with a
one-time payment and retain ownership of the land. In this case the
easement needs to be 100 feet wide (50 feet on each side of the
line). Easements give PPL the right to cross property with the
power line and to maintain that line. The property owner maintains
ownership of the easement area and continues to pay taxes on it.
An easement payment is based on market value, just as if the
property was being purchased.
Q. How much will you get paid for an easement?
A. We calculate what we will pay for an easement by multiplying the
fair market value by the number of acres.
In addition:
- An independent licensed real estate appraiser will be hired to
conduct a market study to assist in determining fair market value.
- Individual property values will be determined on a case-by-case
basis, in consultation with land owners.
- On agricultural land, we also will compensate for any crop damages that occur.
- Payments are made only if PPL needs to acquire an easement to
cross property with the power line. There is no compensation for
owners whose property is not crossed.
Q: Do you plan to use eminent domain?
A: Only as an absolute last resort. We much prefer to negotiate
mutually acceptable financial settlements with property owners
from whom we need right of way to build the line. Eminent domain
ultimately means that a court proceeding determines how much
we pay a property owner for right of way over their land. In the case
of overhead lines, it requires approval from the Pennsylvania Public
Utility Commission. The law allows condemnation of land, but not
houses or other buildings.
Q: Do you have to get permits for the work you will do?
A: PPL will secure all required permits from agencies such as the
state Department of Environmental Protection and the Cumberland
County Conservation District.
Q: When will construction start?
A: We expect construction to start in late 2016.
Q: How will I stay informed?
A: PPL’s policy is to be open and honest about the work
it does and property owners will be informed – usually by letter –
of any significant activities on their land, including surveying,
environmental testing and actual construction.
For more information about PPL Electric Utilities, visit www.pplelectric.com.